Our June meeting will be a Bring Your Own Tree workshop. Jun
e is a good time to re-pot and work on azaleas and tropical trees and also
to prune or wire most other trees. Please bring your trees\, tools\, and
anything needed to clean up afterwards.

Sean Smith of Empire Bonsai will be visiting Richmond Bonsai
Society on July 14th and 15th. On Friday\, July 14th\, Sean will conduct
a lecture and demonstration on a yew which will be auctioned off to a club
members. This will be at our normal time and location\, St\, Mary’s Woods
Community Room\, 7pm. Sean will also have material (trees) for sale at th
e meeting. Also\, this will take the place of our normal monthly meeting.<
/p>
DTSTART;TZID=America/New_York:20170714T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/New_York:20170714T210000
GEO:+37.600273;-77.587508
LOCATION:1257 Marywood Ln\, Richmond\, VA 23229\, USA
SEQUENCE:0
SUMMARY:July Meeting with Sean Smith
URL:http://richmondbonsaisociety.org/?ai1ec_event=july-meeting-with-sean-sm
ith
X-COST-TYPE:free
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:ai1ec-461@richmondbonsaisociety.org
DTSTAMP:20200607T062702Z
CATEGORIES:
CONTACT:T. Sones\, R. Edwards\; info@richmondbonsaisociety.org\; www.richmo
ndbonsaisoceity.org
DESCRIPTION:

Sean Smith of Empire Bonsai will be visiting Richmond Bonsai
Society on July 14th and 15th.\nOn Saturday\, July 15th\, Sean will
do 2 very unique workshops. The morning workshop (9-12) will be a Cascade
Stand Root Carving workshop.

\n

All RBS members are welcome to parti
cipate\, or can even just come to quietly observe\, but participant number
s are limited\, as are materials. Each workshop will cost $100. Please onl
y register if you are committed. We will contact you soon to secure paymen
ts in advance. When the workshops are full\, you can sign up as an alterna
te and we will go from there. Do NOT register if you only intend to observ
e.

\n

For both workshop\, Sean will provide the materials (wood and f
inish for morning\, and wood and stone for afternoon). Participants must b
ring an electric (not battery powered) drill\, like a Dremel\, with wood c
arving (burr) tips\, and an extension cord. You may want a protective mask
.

Sean Smith of Empire Bonsai will be visiting Richmond Bonsai
Society on July 14th and 15th.

\n

On Saturday\, July 15th\, Sean wil
l do 2 very unique workshops. The afternoon workshop (1-4) will be a Stone
Diaza (stand) carving workshop.

\n

All RBS members are welcome to pa
rticipate\, or can even just come to quietly observe\, but participant num
bers are limited\, as are materials. Each workshop will cost $100. Please
only register if you are committed. We will contact you soon to secure pay
ments in advance. When the workshops are full\, you can sign up as an alte
rnate and we will go from there. Do NOT register if you only intend to obs
erve.

\n

For both workshop\, Sean will provide the materials (wood an
d finish for morning\, and wood and stone for afternoon). Participants mus
t bring an electric (not battery powered) drill\, like a Dremel\, with woo
d carving (burr) tips\, and an extension cord. You may want a protective m
ask.

Chris\, past pre
sident of the Peninsula Bonsai Society will do a demonstration and lecture
about Ponderosa Pines. This event will be of our regular September Meetin
g. However\, instead of our usual time\, it will be Saturday\, September 1
6th at 10 am. Usual place.

After Chris’s presentation\, we will have our
regularly scheduled Member Workday/Study Group. Members are encouraged to
bring in their own plants to work on\, and anything they may need includin
g tools and cleaning equipment.

October Meeting: BYOT Workshop and Member Yard Sale.
Monday\, October 23\, 2017. 7 pm. St. Mary’s Woods’s Community R
oom. Now is the time of year to do any minor pruning in preparation for wi
nter. It is also a good time to wire or carve on your trees. It’s also a g
reat time to clean out things that you don’t want or need\, so members are
invited to bring trees that they want to work on\, as well as needed tool
s and other materials to work on them. In addition\, members can set up a
“Yard Sale” table and try to move bonsai trees\, pots\, or other related t
hings that they no longer want or can store for winter.

Nursery Crawl: A Wise Gardener Nursery. Saturday\, O
ct. 28\, 2017. 1 pm. John Wise of A Wise Gardener has invited to
visit his nursery. He has a section of ornamental and native plants and tr
ees in various sizes. A Wise Gardener is located on the 300 block of Bland
Street\, 2 blocks off of Forest Hill Avenue behind Crossroad’s Coffee nea
r Forest Hill Park.

November Meeting: BYOT Wiring and Carving workshop.
Monday\, November 27\, 2017. 7 pm. St. Mary’s Woods’s Community Room. We will have demonstrations on wiring and carving and members should
bring trees that they need to work on\, as well as tools and other needed
materials.

In
this first workshop\, Jim will demonstrate and assist participants to sel
ect and cleave stone pieces for their conglomerate grouping\, bond their s
tone groups with glue\, clamps\, tape\, and shrink wrap. Cardboard templat
es will be made to assure that the stone groupings stay together and will
fit the selected containers. Most materials will be provided\, but member
should bring wood clamps if available.

\n

Everyone is invited to atte
nd\, but only registered members will get the workshop materials. The fee
for both parts of the workshop is $35. Members must register in advance
via our website or contact Thomas at info@richmondbonsaisociety.org. All
are welcome to attend. However\, only registered paid members will partici
pate in the actual workshop. The workshop fee is $35 and you can register
HERE! Please b
ring printed or screen shot copy of registration receipt to the workshop.
The 3rd and final part will be Saturday\, March 3\, 1 pm. See our event page for more details.

\n

\n

\n

In this part of the worksh
op participates will:

\n

Cleave and select\, stone pieces for their conglomerate grouping. <
i class=''>Stone hammers\, gloves and protective eye ware will be provided
. (There will be plenty of stone on the floor for the picking)

\n

\n

Bond their stone groups
with glue\, clamps\, tape\, and shrink wrap. <
/span>Cardboard templates will be made to a
ssure that the stone groupings stay together and wil
l fit the selected containers

\n

\n

\n

The following is
provided: Stone of various hardness and colors\, hammer
s\, gloves and eye protection\, glue\, cardbord for templates/ pattern\, tape\, sh
rink wrap\, string\, paper towels\, cleaning supplies etc.\, and s<
strong>ome wood clamps will be available but if you have yo
ur own clamps\, please bring them.<
/div>\n

\n

\n

There will be samples of the workshop plant materials to exami
ne only. 3-7 year old Kingsville Boxwood and two 1-2 y
ear old rooted cuttings. The individual primary plant
material\, will be distributed at the following part of this workshop. DA
TE TBD.

This is the 3rd and final part of this worksh
op. All members are invited to attend\, but only members who registered an
d participated in the previous parts will actually complete the workshop.<
/p>\n

This 2 workshop will include stone conglomerate\, plant prep\, and planting. \n

\n

\n

\n

\n

Participants ar
e encouraged to bring their own tools to this workshop. Minimum tools required are small bonsai shears or s
cissors\, wire tools cutter and jin tool (needle nos
e pliers)\, chopstick (provided)\, a table spoon. If you don’t have t
ools\, tools will be available to borrow.

\n

\n

\n

In this workshop participants w
ill: prep their pots and attach the stone arrangements to their pots\,
prep their selected plants and plant them in *pots provided\, landscape t
heir Saikei and cover the soil surface with the sphagnum moss provided and
water in.

Unfortunately\, hands on participation in the worksh
op with materials is completely full. HOWEVER\, we encourage everyone to c
ome and observe the workshop and learn the process. Registration is not ne
cessary to observe.

\n

WHAT: Come join the members of the Richmond Bonsai Society and learn about t
he art and science of growing and training bonsai (bone–sigh) trees. You
will learn how bonsai are developed\, the types of trees suitable and you
will create your own bonsai to take home and enjoy. Plants and pots and o
ther materials are provided. Come\, learn and have fun!! (Price incl
udes 2018 RBS membership\, a $25 value)

The Bring Your Own Tree workshop will be from 2-5 pm at the
Great Big Green House and cost members $50. It will be limited to 8 partic
ipants\, first come\, first served. Registration is available on line on our Membership and Event Registra
tion page or at a regular meeting. In addition\, Frank will be at the
March meeting the following day to do a styling demonstration and that tre
e will be raffled to members when he is done.

\n

NOTE: You must be a
RBS member\, PAID for 2018\, to participate in this workshop and\, unfortu
nately\, is NOT for beginners.

Our regular April meeting will be a re-potting workshop. Mem
bers should bring their own materials and tools\, as well as soil to re-po
t trees as needed. Experienced members will be around to assist as needed.

In an effort to attract new members\, RBS will be had a disp
lay table and will selling starter trees at Maymont’s Herbs\, Galore & Mor
e event. Entry into the event is $5. Please stop by if you are interested
in bonsai or have questions. RBS members will be needed as volunteers thro
ughout the day.

Intermediate/Advanced BYOT Workshop with Mauro Stenm
berger. May 15\, 9am-4pm\, at the Great Big Green House. This wor
kshop is for intermediate and advanced practitioners. Beginners are welcom
e to watch for free\, but should no register as a participant. Registratio
n cost in $85 and is via our Membership\, Event Registration\, and Purchases Page.

You are cordially invited to the Annual RBS Picnic a
nd Auction\, Sunday\, May 20\, 2-5 p.m. This event will take place at the
Carillon Shelter at Byrd Park in Richmond.

\n

This event is
a great way to socialize with the club members and find bonsai plants\, po
ts\, tools\, and other supplies for a great price. RBS will supply the mai
n dish (BBQ Sandwiches)\, ice\, drinks\, paper goods\, and utensils. Membe
rs should bring a side dish or dessert to share.

\n

Auction i
tems should arrive from 2-3 pm\, we’ll eat at 3 pm\, and the auction will
begin about 3:30. You must be a current RBS or PBA member
to sell or bid on items at the auction (but you can join that day). A minimum 20% from each sale is donated automatically to the club\, b
ut you keep the rest of the sales. Typically\, members bring 3-5 items eac
h to sell. If you have more than that\, consider grouping them into lots.
Also\, please limit items to bonsai related plants\, tools\, pots\, books\
, etc… Members with items to sell must arrive early (2 pm) to fill out the required form.

\n

In addition\, we will be electing
officers for the 2018-2020 term. Anyone interested in running should cont
act Ron or Randi. Also\, this event will serve as our regular meeting for
the month of May. There will be no meeting on May 28.

\n

The
Carillon Shelter is near Barker Field and the Toll Booth. The clo
sest searchable address is for the Carillon\, (1300 Blanton Ave\, Richmond
\, VA 23221) which is nearby. There is another shelter closer to Maymont’s
Nature Center\, so do not get them confused. Watch for “RBS” signs markin
g the path to teh shelter.

RBS will host RVA Maker’s Foru
m for a Beginner’s Bonsai Workshop with Tropical (Indoor) Bonsai\nTh
e event will include an introduction to bonsai\, viewing some of the RBS m
ember’s trees\, and a for those who register\, making their very own indo
or/tropical bonsai.

\n

\n

Members wi
ll instruct and assist workshop participants to prepare a container\, re-p
ot\, and style a starter tree. Everyone is welcome to view the workshop\,
but to create your own bonsai\, you must register in advance and space i
s limited. The cost for the workshop is $35. Register for the workshop here.

Richmond Bonsa
i Society will have it’s regularly scheduled July meeting on Monday\, July
23rd at 7 pm in the community room of St. Mary’s Woods\, at 1257 Marywood
Ln\, Richmond\, VA 23229.\n

The meeting will be about tropical tree
bonsai. Members are encouraged to bring tropical bonsai for “show and tel
l”\, any they need advice or have questions about\, or any that they want
to style or work on. If you intend to style your tree\, please bring appro
priate tools\, wire\, and other supplies as needed.

RBS member Jim Ford will be discuss how to prep your tree for display\, how to prepare your
pot for display\, and how to select the proper stand. In addition\, Jim wi
ll also discuss the importance of scrolls and other objects that are criti
cal to a successful formal bonsai display or Tokonoma. If you want to boo
st your knowledge on bonsai display\, there are quite a few articles on th
e internet and here’s a link of interest: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/blog/tokono
ma-displays

Oct. 22 Regular October Meeting : Winte
rizing trees

\n

Come learn all about preparing your trees for winter
. Remember that between 6 and 7\, before the club meeting\, you can bring
in any of your bonsai for assistance. This meeting will take place in the
ACTIVITYROOM of St. Mary’s Woods at 7 p
m. The ACTIVITY ROOM is not where we normally meet\, but on the opposit
e side of the building next to the chapel. If you have trees that you
want help or advice on\, please come about 6:00.

Maymont Garden Glow

\n

RBS will have a special presen
ce at Maymont’s fall event\, Maymont Garden Glow. The Japanese Garden will
be lit for the season and there will be tours led from the Nature Center
each evening. The event runs from October 27 thru November 11\; each eveni
ng from 6:00 PM until 10:00 PM. There are two ways RBS will have a presen
ce there. We will have a static display of 2-3 trees in the main entry ro
om of the Nature Center along with information about the Society. Two\, w
e will do simple bonsai demo/talks on three evenings\; Oct. 28\, Nov. 2 an
d Nov. 9 at 6:30 PM\, 7:15 PM and 8:30 PM each of those evenings.

Come learn all about caring and developing pines. Remember t
hat between 6 and 7\, before the club meeting\, you can bring in any of yo
ur bonsai for assistance.This meeting will take place in the Community Roo
m of St. Mary’s Woods at 7 pm. If you have trees that you want help or adv
ice on\, please come about 6:00.

Our regular meeting will begin at 7 pm in the Community Room
of St. Mary’s Woods Retirement Community. This month\, being a winter mee
ting\, we will be exploring soils and pots. Feel free to bring in samples
and examples\, your favorite pot\, or a difficult pot. If you need help wi
th a tree\, please come early.

This event is being rescheduled by David B. Please contact h
im directly for details or email us at info@richmondbonsaisociety.org

\n

\n

Ongoing 2019 Bonsai Basics Class

\n

RBS is offering a
new Bonsai Basics class to members using junipers in winter/spring 2019. F
or those that want to expand their bonsai skills or refresh their skills\,
this is the class for you. The class will be taught by Dave Barker and wi
ll be comprised of three monthly sessions covering the basics of styling a
tree\, cleaning a tree\, use of bonsai tools\, pruning\, wiring\, soil\,
pots\, repotting\, and bonsai horticulture.

\n

The class will run 40
minutes\, from 6:15 to 6:55\, composed of 20 minutes of lecture/discussion
and 20 minutes of practical application – working on your tree. The first
session will expose the nebari\, find the front of the tree\, and do basi
c cleaning of the tree. The second session will involve pruning the tree t
o shape and style\, and wiring the trunk and main branches in place. In th
e third session\, the tree will be root pruned\, wired securely in a pot a
nd finished. In addition\, basic care to keep the bonsai healthy and growi
ng will be discussed.

\n

The cost of the basics class is for material
s: $25 for a 1 gallon juniper\, pot\, and scissors\; $10 for scissors only
\; and free to members supplying their own juniper and scissors. Wire\, po
t\, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 15 members\,
with 7 slots remaining after signups at the January meeting. All members
can be silent observers. To secure your place in the class\, email Dave Ba
rker at dtbarker_sd@yahoo.com or come at 6 pm to the February meeting if s
pots remain. Payment can be made via paypal anytime or by cash or check at
the February class.

\n

RBS is also planning a summer class in June\,
July\, and August as well using a tropical tree (ficus or serissa). More
information on the summer bonsai basics class will be in a future newslett
er.

Our February Regular Meeting will about Fused Trunks for Bon
sai.\nThis meeting will take place in the Community Room of St. Mary
’s Woods. If you have fused trunks\, please bring them in to show and disc
uss.

Our workshop is officially FULL. We will start a waiting list i
n case anyone drops out. However\, everyone is invited to come and watch.
You will learn the same skills and likely be able to do the workshop conte
nt on your own afterwards. To get on the waiting list\, please email us at
info@richmondbonasisociety.org.

\n

Come join the members o
f the Richmond Bonsai Society and learn about the art and science of growi
ng and training bonsai (bone–sigh) trees. You will learn how bonsai are de
veloped\, the types of trees suitable and you will create you own bonsai t
o take home and enjoy. Plants and pots and other materials are provided. C
ome\, learn and have fun!! (Price includes 2019 RBS membership\, a $25 val
ue)

INTERESTED?: Send an email expressing you
r interest to richmondbonsaisociety@yahoo.com by

\n

Our workshop is
officially FULL. We will start a waiting list in case anyone drops out. Ho
wever\, everyone is invited to come and watch. You will learn the same ski
lls and likely be able to do the workshop content on your own afterwards.
To get on the waiting list\, please email us at info@richmondbonasisociety
.org.

Our Regular March Meeting will be held in the community room
at St. Mary’s Woods. Our meeting will be about developing trident maple
bonsai. If you have tridents\, please bring them in to share with the club
.

Workshop With Mauro Stemberger\, May 14th from 9 am – 4 pm<
/h3>\n

There will be a special workshop for intermediate and advanced s
killed members with Italian bonsai master\, Mauro Stemberger at Strange’s
nursery in Short Pump. It is a bring-your-own-tree(s) workshop and the co
st is $125. There is one opening available\, contact Randi Heise if inte
rested. All members are welcome as silent observers.

RBS Picnic and Auction\, May 19\
, 3 PM\, BYRD PARK

\n

This event is a great way to
find bonsai plants\, pots\, tools\, and other supplies for a great price.
RBS will supply the main dish (fried chicken)\, ice\, drinks\, paper good
s\, and utensils. Members should bring a side dish or dessert to share. Th
e picnic and auction will be held at the BYRD PARK Carillon Shelte
r. Please note\, this event will serve as our regular meeting for
the month of May. There will be no meeting on May 27.

\n

You
must be a current RBS or PBA member to sell or bid on items at the auctio
n (but you can join that day). Auction items should arrive from 2-3 pm\, w
e’ll eat at 3 pm\, and the auction will begin about 3:30. A mini
mum 20% from each sale is donated automatically to the club\, but you keep
the rest of the sales. Typically\, members bring 3-5 items each to sell.
If you have more than that\, consider grouping them into lots.

\n

The
Carillon Shelter is near Barker Field and the Toll Booth
. The closest searchable address is for the Carillon\, (1300 Blanton Ave\,
Richmond\, VA 23221) which is nearby. Enter teh Carrilon Parking from Par
k Dr. and go south through the entire Carrilon Parking area to the end. Th
ere is a Carillon Shelter sign at the edge of the parking to mark the “roa
d” to the shelter. There is parking near the shelter. There is another she
lter closer to Maymont’s Nature Center\, so do not get them confused. Watc
h for “RBS” signs marking the path to the shelter.

Summer Bonsai Basics Class

\n

RBS is offering a Bonsa
i Basics class to members using Serissa (snow rose) in Summer 2019 for tho
se that want to expand their bonsai skills. The class will be taught by Da
ve Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions covering the bas
ics of styling a tree\, cleaning a tree\, use of bonsai tools\, pruning\,
wiring\, soil\, pots\, repotting\, and bonsai horticulture.

\n

The cl
ass will run 55 minutes\, from 6:00 to 6:55\, composed of 20 minutes of le
cture/discussion and 35 minutes of practical application – working on your
tree. The June session will expose the nebari\, find the front of the tre
e\, do basic cleaning of the tree\, and pruning the tree to shape and styl
e. The July session will be wiring the trunk and main branches in place. I
n the August session\, the tree will be root pruned\, wired securely in a
pot and finished. In addition\, basic care to keep the bonsai healthy and
growing will be discussed.

\n

The cost of the basics class is for mat
erials: $35 for a tree\, pot\, and scissors\; $10 for scissors only\; and
free to members supplying their own tropical plant and scissors. Wire\, po
t\, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 12 members.<
/p>\n

Also\, we learned in the first class this spring that we need assi
stance from experienced members in the last 30 minutes. So let Dave know i
f you are willing to help give class members some individual attention wit
h their trees for 15-20 minutes before the club meeting begins.

\n

Si
gn-up for the class will begin at the April 29th meeting\, continue throug
h the May picnic/auction\, and until the class is full.

This month’s meeting is a BYOT workshop. It’s a great time o
f year to work on azaleas\, tropicals\, and do mid-summer pruning and wiri
ng before the next flush of leaves come one. Bring your tree\, tools\, and
wire and we will be there to offer advice!

Summer Bonsai Basics Class Part 2

\n

RBS is offering
a Bonsai Basics class to members using Serissa (snow rose) in Summer 2019
for those that want to expand their bonsai skills. The class will be taugh
t by Dave Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions covering
the basics of styling a tree\, cleaning a tree\, use of bonsai tools\, pru
ning\, wiring\, soil\, pots\, repotting\, and bonsai horticulture.

\n

The class will run 55 minutes\, from 6:00 to 6:55\, composed of 20 minute
s of lecture/discussion and 35 minutes of practical application – working
on your tree. The June session will expose the nebari\, find the front of
the tree\, do basic cleaning of the tree\, and pruning the tree to shape a
nd style. The July session will be wiring the trunk and main branches in p
lace. In the August session\, the tree will be root pruned\, wired securel
y in a pot and finished. In addition\, basic care to keep the bonsai healt
hy and growing will be discussed.

\n

The cost of the basics class is
for materials: $35 for a tree\, pot\, and scissors\; $10 for scissors only
\; and free to members supplying their own tropical plant and scissors. Wi
re\, pot\, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 12 me
mbers.

\n

Also\, we learned in the first class this spring that we ne
ed assistance from experienced members in the last 30 minutes. So let Dave
know if you are willing to help give class members some individual attent
ion with their trees for 15-20 minutes before the club meeting begins.

\n

Sign-up for the class will begin at the April 29th meeting\, continue
through the May picnic/auction\, and until the class is full.

Summer Bonsai Basics Class Part 3

\n

RBS is offering
a Bonsai Basics class to members using Serissa (snow rose) in Summer 2019
for those that want to expand their bonsai skills. The class will be taugh
t by Dave Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions covering
the basics of styling a tree\, cleaning a tree\, use of bonsai tools\, pru
ning\, wiring\, soil\, pots\, repotting\, and bonsai horticulture.

\n

The class will run 55 minutes\, from 6:00 to 6:55\, composed of 20 minute
s of lecture/discussion and 35 minutes of practical application – working
on your tree. The June session will expose the nebari\, find the front of
the tree\, do basic cleaning of the tree\, and pruning the tree to shape a
nd style. The July session will be wiring the trunk and main branches in p
lace. In the August session\, the tree will be root pruned\, wired securel
y in a pot and finished. In addition\, basic care to keep the bonsai healt
hy and growing will be discussed.

\n

The cost of the basics class is
for materials: $35 for a tree\, pot\, and scissors\; $10 for scissors only
\; and free to members supplying their own tropical plant and scissors. Wi
re\, pot\, and bonsai soil will be provided. The class is limited to 12 me
mbers.

\n

Also\, we learned in the first class this spring that we ne
ed assistance from experienced members in the last 30 minutes. So let Dave
know if you are willing to help give class members some individual attent
ion with their trees for 15-20 minutes before the club meeting begins.

\n

Sign-up for the class will begin at the April 29th meeting\, continue
through the May picnic/auction\, and until the class is full.

We are delighted to host international Kusamono artis
t\, Young Choe\, as our guest artist and speaker in September. Young will
deliver a presentation on Kusamono and its importance in bonsai display.
She will also demonstrate the art of Kusamono by creating two Kusamono tha
t will be auctioned after her demonstration. Kusamono are long lived and b
ecome more beautiful as they grow\, mature and multiply. Young travels th
e globe to share the art of Kusamono and it’s role both independently as a
n art and as an accent plant when displaying bonsai. I’m excited have her
in Richmond to share her amazing talent.

Young studied traditional art-ink painting and callig
raphy-in her native Korea before she moved to the United States. She obta
ined her BS in Horticulture from the University of Maryland. While volunt
eering at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum\, she was able to bring her
artistic talent together with her knowledge of horticulture to create Kus
amono. She traveled to Japan to study this unique art form with the maste
r Kusamono artist\, Keiko Yamane\, a former student of Saburo Kato. In th
e world outside the Museum\, she worked with native plants at the USDA\, N
RCS\, National Plant Materials Center in Beltsville\, Maryland. Also\, sh
e was a propagation horticulturist at the US National Arboretum. Young cur
rently works at the US National Arboretum.

\n

This meeting will take
place at our normal time and place\, 7-9 pm\, the Community Room at St. Ma
ry’s Woods.

\n

Bonsai Help

\n

At the September meeting\, there
will be a table at the side of the room with an experienced member availa
ble to answer any of your bonsai-related questions before the meeting\, be
tween 6:15 and 7 pm. You can bring in your tree to get advice on styling
or maintenance\, or to have someone look over your shoulder as you clean t
he tree\, or prune it\, or wire it. (If you have a pest problem with a tr
ee\, please bring a picture of the problem or a small cutting of the infec
ted area in a sealed bag.) If you potted a juniper at the March workshop\,
now would be an excellent time to wire it to improve the image. If you we
re in a bonsai basics class\, you may need to cut off old wire if it is cu
tting into the bark.

RBS Nursery Crawl\, Saturday\, October 12\, Colesville Nurs
ery

\n

As a follow up to our September meeting\, RBS be visiting a <
a href='http://colesvillenursery.com/'>Colesville Nursey in Ashland on
Saturday\, October 12\, at 10 am. Join us as we scour the nursery for pot
ential bonsai material. Experienced members will be on hand to advise as n
eeded. THEN\, we ask you to bring those purchases to discuss at the Octob
er meeting.

Did you go to a nursery and buy a new tree or do you already
have a tree you’re not sure of the next step? How about a tree that needs
a little tweak? A project tree that you know has potential but are just n
ot sure what to do first? What about a tree that lost its apex and needs a
make over? The October meeting will give you an opportunity to resolve yo
ur questions and or concerns. Please bring your tree to the meeting and pa
rticipate in a discussion about your tree. You will leave with a plan for
your tree’s development and your questions answered. Don’t have a current proje
ct? We’ll furnish pen and paper to take notes so you’ll have a reference f
or issues you encounter on your next project. We’ll have an excellent educ
ational for everyone. We will have a brief business meeting and then begin
the discussions. Looking forward to seeing you on Monday\, October 28th\,
7 pm\, in the ACTIVITY Room of St. Mary’s Woods. Please
note the ACTIVITY ROOM\, is not our regular room\, but on
the other side of the building next to the chapel.

November Meeting: Monday\, November 25. 7 pm

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This
month we will discuss. Winter Storage and Getting Ready For Sprin
g. Looking forward to seeing you on Monday\, November 25th\, 7 pm
\, in the Community Room of St. Mary’s Woods. Please note
the Community ROOM\, is our regular room

January Meeting: Monday\, January 27\, 7 pm\n

The first bonsai objective we face every year i
s potting or repotting our trees. After soil selection the most daunting
task is selecting a pot for your tree that will show case your tree withou
t stealing the show.

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Join us at the January me
eting where member Jack Frye\, Potter Extraordinaire\, will offer a prese
ntation on pots and lead a discussion as to how to match tree and pot. Ti
ps you need to be aware of\, masculine vs. feminine\; glazed vs non-glazed
\; lip vs no -lip\; feet: cloud or no cloud all these attributes attribute
d to pots may come into play when selecting a pot for your tree. Come and
learn the tips to sends that you have the perfect pot to compliment your
tree and meld into the design without shifting the focus of the bonsai to
the pot. If the initial impact of the newly repotted/potted tree is this
fabulous pot\, you have a dilemma to resolve. No re
ason to table the pot\, it’s may be as simple as not being “THE” pot for ”
THAT” tree.

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Looking forward to seeing you at in the Commu
nity Room of St. Mary’s Woods. Please note the Community
ROOM\, is our regular room.

RBS – February Workshops with visiting artist Sean Smith\n

All payments for workshops are due the day of the workshop. Members
planning to take the workshop should email Dave Barker\, dtbarker_sd@ya
hoo.com\, directly since he has the sigh-up list and is tracking attendanc
e.

Other Information:

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Suiseki (pronounced suu-ee-
seck-ee) are small\, naturally formed stones admired for their beauty and
ability to suggest a distant mountain\, a waterfall\, an island\, a thatch
ed hut\, or an animal. Suiseki are traditionally exhibited on a carved woo
den base called “daiza” or in shallow trays called suiban or doban. When f
ormally exhibited\, suiseki are often accompanied by bonsai.

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Sean
Smith lives in the United States in Marysville Pennsylvania\, where he own
s and operates Custom Oriental Wood-craft. With a passion for bonsai and s
uiseki for over 20 years\, and an extensive background in carpentry\, Sean
took the two\, put them together and started his own business in 1994. He
makes bonsai display tables\,and carves daiza for renowned bonsai and sui
seki enthusiasts all over the world.

For the foreseeable future\, all RBS activities are cancell
ed.

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2020 Bonsai Basics Classes

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RBS is
offering a series of Bonsai Basics classes to members using junipers in w
inter/spring 2020. For those that want to expand their bonsai skills or r
efresh their skills\, this is the class for you. The classes will be taug
ht by Dave Barker and will be comprised of three monthly sessions in the h
our prior to the start of the regular bonsai meeting – at 6 pm before Febr
uary\, March\, and April meetings.

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The class will run 50 minutes\,
from 6:00 to 6:50\, composed of 20 minutes of lecture and 30 minutes of p
ractical application – working on your tree. The first session will expos
e the nebari\, find the front of the tree\, and cleaning the bran
ches in preparation for wiring. The second session will involve initial p
runing of the tree and then wiring main branches in place. In the third s
ession\, the tree will be root pruned\, put in a pot with bonsai soil and
finished.

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The cost of the basics class is for materials: $25 for
a 1 gallon juniper\, pot\, and scissors\; $20 for a tree and pot only\; $1
0 for scissors only\; and free to members if you are supplying the juniper
\, pot\, and scissors. Any juniper is acceptable – procumbens nana\, shim
paku\, shore juniper\, parsonii\, etc. Wire and bonsai soil will be prov
ided. The class is limited to 12 members\, with sign-up and payment begin
ning at the January meeting. There are 7 spots remaining. If you missed
the January meeting\, you can sign-up by sending an email to Dave Barker
at dtbarker_sd@yahoo.com indicating you want to join the class. Once spot
s are filled\, a waiting list will be created. Payment for the class is d
ue at the first class.

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All RBS members can be silent observers at
the class to review basic skills and watch the bonsai creation process. E
xperienced members are requested to assist with members of the class begin
ning at 6:20\, after the lecture portion of the class.

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All classes
will occur in the Community Room of St. Mary’s Woods Retirement Community
\, unless otherwise noted.

Regular Meeting\, Monday February 24th\
, 7pm

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Sean will offer a program on on Suiseki.Looking forward to
seeing you at in the Community Room of St. Mary’s Woods
. Please note the Community ROOM\, is our regular room. M
embers are encouraged to bring in their Suiseki to share and discuss.

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Suiseki: Explained in a simple way\, the suiseki
is the comprehension and the appreciation of nature through a stone\, resu
lting from nature. Suiseki (Sui = water\, Seki = stone) is the study and e
njoyment of naturally formed stones as objects of beauty. The art of Suise
ki involves the collection\, preparation and appreciation of unaltered nat
urally formed stones. These stones are found in mountain streams\, on wind
blown deserts\, along ocean beaches – anywhere that nature may have deposi
ted or shaped them.

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Regular Meetings\, unless oth
erwise noted\, are held the 4th Monday of every month at 7 pm i
n the Community Room at St. Mary’s Woods\, 1257 Marywood Ln.\, Richmond VA
\, 23229.

The workshop is nearly sold out. If you try to register\, a
nd it is sold out\, please email us and we will put you on a waiting list
and would encourage you to come that morning. If there is a place at the t
able\, we will try to fit you in. info@richmondbonsaisociety.org

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Richmond Bonsai Society Beginner Bonsai Works
hop with Outdoor Tree

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Saturday\, March 14\,
2020\, 10:00 am to 12:30 pm

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WHAT:Com
e join the members of the Richmond Bonsai Society and learn about the art
and science of growing and training bonsai (bone–sigh) trees. You will le
arn how bonsai are developed\, the types of trees suitable and you will cr
eate your own bonsai to take home and enjoy. Plants and pots and other ma
terials are provided. Come\, learn and have fun!! (Price includes 20
20 RBS membership\, a $30 value)

For the foreseeable future\, all RBS activities are
cancelled.

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March Meeting: PARTYTIME!! HAPPY 50t
h Anniversary RBS!

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Time f
lies with good friends\, good times and a shared interest. Richmond Bonsa
i Association will turn fifty next year. It’s time to plan our celebration
and we want everyone to be involved and help us celebrate. If you have an
y celebratory thoughts or suggestions don’t hold back shoot us an email. W
e want this to be a celebration of bonsai\, the club history and FUN. I’m
throwing out my two cents and suggesting raffles\, a bonsai show\, great
food good drink\, new friends\, old friends\, and surprises. We’re tracki
ng down lost members and if you have someone in mind to invite\, please do
so. Don’t wait too long since the event will be held in March.

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Regular Meetings\, unless otherwise noted\, are held the 4
th Monday of every month at 7 pm in the Community Room at St. Mary’s Woods
\, 1257 Marywood Ln.\, Richmond VA\, 23229.